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Report: Global Share of Renewable Energy Could Double by 2030

January 22, 2014 - 12:00am

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The global renewable energy share can reach and exceed 30% by 2030 at no extra cost, according to "REmap 2030," a report published on January 20 by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The study maps out a pathway for doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix based on the technologies that are available today. Energy efficiency and improved availabilty of cost-effective renewable energy technologies can advance the share of renewables in the global energy mix by up to 36%, according to the new report. The deployment of modern renewable energy (renewable energy sources that exclude traditional burning of biomass such as wood) needs to grow more than threefold, the study shows. The study suggests a rethinking of energy taxes and subsidies is critical to the economic case for renewable energy. Subsidies for renewable energy could disappear altogether, if greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution are reasonably priced, the report argues. "REmap 2030" builds on the analysis of the energy supply and demand of 26 countries, which account for 74% of projected global total final energy consumption in 2030. IRENA is the global hub for renewable energy cooperation and information exchange by 124 member states, including the United States and the European Union. See the IRENA press release.